In Darkness We Rise
by xCommaderPrincessx
Summary: A Clexa fanfic that evolves from the original storyline. Love, lust and danger. An intoxicating combination. When you love the one you shouldn't.
1. Beauty In The Eye of The Beholder

****To keep you all update, I am working on the sequel to Love is Weakness so it is on the way! The plan is to finish writing the story in it's entirety so that uploads will be consistently every week, unlike the year long slow burn that I subjected you to last time XD****

****I found this chapter in my drafts from when I was messing around with ideas before publishing Love Is Weakness, and thought I'd share it, see what you all think!****

****Thank you all for reading my works and I love reading all your comments! They can be quite hilarious XD ****

****Enjoy the short chapter!****

The night sky was adorned with a full moon that cast a silvery hue over the ground below as the tiny pinpricks that were stars appeared as if from nowhere as the light haze of daylight faded into oblivion.

Clarke remained reverently outside the Commanders tent, her blonde hair shining in the moonlight, almost seeming to shimmer and dance as the light breeze stirred the individual strands. Gustus stared threateningly down upon her slender form as they waited, a silent promise that he would do whatever it took to protect his Commander, no matter who was in his way.

This had little effect on the wilful blonde who stared back with an equally fierce gaze, making it clear she would not tolerate any provocation that came her way, willing to stand up for her people in the face of the Grounder's distrust.

His dark brown eyes were unblinking, meeting the hard stare that the crystal blue eyes directed towards him.

Their contest of wills was brought to an end when Indra parted the material that fell as an entrance to the tent, her eyes flicking between the two stubborn individuals, as if sensing the tension that fell between them.

'The Commander will see you now.'

Clarke raised an eyebrow at the towering man who blocked her entrance, a silent challenge to stand in the way of his leader's wishes until finally, with a dissatisfied scowl, he stepped to one side.

The interior of the tent was illuminated not by the stars overhead, but by several candles that flickered dutifully at set intervals around the perimeter, their soft glow filling the space with a warmer, more welcoming light then one would expect.

Less welcoming was the Commander's pose; one of power as she reclined on the raised throne, her fingers drifting over the blade of a dagger as sharp as the gaze with which she pierced the blonde visitor. Her green eyes were highlighted by the dark war paint that adorned her cheeks, enhancing the sense of wild danger that emanated from the warrior. With dark hair cascading over her shoulders in neat braids, the woman was the very image of power, the symbol on her forehead declaring as much.

'Klark kom Skaikru, the princess who fell from the sky.'

The Commander spoke the words with a hint of disdain, her expression a perfected mask of indifference as she regarded the woman who had only recently killed three hundred of her warriors in a burning ring of death.

This was not the first meeting that the two leaders had attended together, but negotiations were still a long way from being agreed as anger and distrust remained between the two opposing groups.

'You wished to see me?' Clarke said smoothly, ignoring the barbed comment in favour of gaining the higher moral ground.

'That would be_ Heda_ to you sky girl,' Gustus growled as he surpassed the blonde to take position at the far left of the tent, attentively watching the stranger for any signs of foul play.

Clarke fought the urge to roll her eyes and hardly graced him with a second look, her gaze focusing instead on the Commander who remained silent, making no remark to contradict the statement.

_If that was how they were going to play this game. _

'You wished to see me..._Heda,' _Clarke added, the final word dripping from her lips with effort to restrain any sarcasm.

The disrespecting tone was not lost on the Commander, but her expression gave nothing away to either party.

'Has a decision been made regarding our...tense situation?'

Indra was standing formally at her leaders side, staring at the blonde as attentively as Gustus, awaiting the response with trepidation.

'Have you considered the terms that were proposed during our last conversation?' Clarke responded in kind, testing the waters as she pushed the extent of her negotiations to the limit.

Indra was visibly riled by the comment, the hand resting on the hilt of her sword tightening into a fist as a surge of anger washed over the warrior, her face contorting with unbridled fury at the ignorance being displayed by the sky girl.

'How dare you make demands! My village was slaughtered at your hand, this cannot go answered!'

Gustus could be seen nodding briefly from the corner of the blondes eye and she was suddenly very aware of the danger that she was potentially placing herself in with such comments, though she knew something that they didn't.

'I came to negotiate peace Commander, not to further antagonise the situation.'

The Grounder leader sent a swift side eye at her loyal subject, a clear message that boundaries were being overstepped.

'My warriors have every right to be furious with your people, however they will not interrupt again.'

Her words were an equal warning for both parties, one that intended to sate the tension for long enough to reach at least some level of understanding. A nod indicated that the blonde was welcome to elaborate, now free to speak without inviting a verbal assault from the hot blooded warrior.

'The mountain men need to be stopped, and we can achieve that together, both of our people can work as one force.'

Even the Commander quirked an eyebrow at the ambitious proposition, one that sounded absurd even to Clarke, but one that would, with combined effort, successfully bring their people together to fight a common enemy.

'I managed to escape the mountain, as I have told you many times now, Anya and I-'

'Don't presume to say her name!' Indra snapped, her rage overcoming her weak efforts to remain silent, the words fired almost on instinct at the mention of the highly regarded Grounder who had lost her life so tragically.

The Commander was becoming visibly irritated by the constant interruptions that were occurring, the situation only escalated when Gustus felt the need to make his own stance known.

'This is ridiculous Commander! The girl knows nothing of our people and has disrespected us consistently, this must end now!'

Clarke swallowed thickly as she became the focus of both intimidating stares from the Grounders, the fury directed at her, still raw from the pain that had been endured from her actions resulting in the deaths of family and friends.

'You're right,' the Commander said in a blunt tone, rising to her feet in one swift movement to dominate the room, drawing the attention of all occupants who each believed themselves to be correct. 'I've had enough of this. Leave us. Clarke and I will speak privately without such distractions.'

Gustus immediately argued against the idea profusely, the torrent of objections cut short by a withering glare which was not to be defied. Indra took a rather more appeasing tactic in comparison, softly communicating her displeasure with the order in regards to being alone with the enemy.

'If you continue to question my decisions then it is you who will be facing my wrath as well as Skaikru.'

The statement was put forth with such deadly promise that it made quite the impact on the two disgruntled warriors who preceded to incline their heads respectfully before making their way out of the tent, a degree of reluctance dragging their heels as they cast warning glares towards the blonde who neatly stepped aside as they passed by.

Their departure was certainly a relief to the blonde, who felt her mind clear somewhat now that she wasn't the subject of such hostility. However, it still left her under the Commander's scrutinising gaze, one that tore straight through her as if seeing her very thoughts.

A silence had settled inside the tent, now unbroken by the argumentative warriors as the two strong willed women regarded each other with an unspoken tension lingering between them.

'I asked you a question Sky girl,' the Commander uttered, the wide space of the tent seeming to shrink significantly in the blonde's opinion as the warrior descended the steps from her throne, each movement slow and deliberate as she gauged a reaction.

Clarke found her mouth suddenly dry in the face of such a crucial moment, aware that what she said or did next might determine her future and potentially even that of her people.

'Have you reached a decision?' the Commander repeated, her words weighed with unsaid meaning, a spark of indescribable energy creating a rich atmosphere that seemed to feed from the crackling tension that sparked between the two women.

'I have.'

The words slipped from the blonde's mouth effortlessly, almost without conscious thought, her previous trepidation lost to an encompassing feeling of certainty, the hours of deliberating becoming redundant in place of sudden clarity.

The distance between them was closing steadily, the armour clad warrior sweeping forwards until she was barely an arms length from the girl viewed by many as the enemy, the leader of the Sky people who was more alike to the Commander than she would care to admit.

'Enlighten me.'

A sudden urge swept through the blonde, and in such proximity, she could fight against it no longer. Without any warning, she arched forwards, unbridled need coursing through her veins as soft lips collided with hers.

A gentle kiss it was not, filled with raw passion and desire, a moment that had been long anticipated after the numerous meetings that the two women had attended, an instant attraction falling into place until it became clear to both exactly what they wanted.

Searching hands grasped Clarke's back, eagerly pulling her body closer, further stoking the fire that was burning with endless heat.

There was no time for intrusive thoughts as they were both encompassed by just how satisfying it felt to finally give into the desire, and Lexa found herself returning the forceful kiss with a fervent urgency, her tongue seeking to explore and caress with unrestrained passion.

It was a primal desire that had taken a hold, only heightened with every interaction, each suggestive comment that had passed their lips, words that only served to entice the other to new heights.

Clarke had not anticipated the attraction to be so overwhelming, the Commander's touch lingering over her body even as they parted to catch their breath.

She opened her eyes to fall into the green depths that beheld her at such close proximity, rich with lust from the encounter.

'Correct answer.'

**_**Just a short chapter to introduce the story, if you wish to read more then leave a comment - they are incredibly motivational for producing longer chapters faster! **_**

**_**Thank you for taking the time to read this, I hope you enjoyed the teaser!**_**


	2. Love Is Weakness

Lincoln was cured. Finn had sacrificed himself to the Grounder's. Clarke had wielded the dagger that brought his suffering to an end. A truce had formed.

In only a matter of days had such events transpired, and still there was notable unrest throughout both sides, with only a fragile peace that threatened to be shattered with the lightest of grievances.

If the truce did break, then Finn's death had been for nothing, and Clarke would not let that happen.

'_Love is Weakness.'_

The Commander's view at first appeared bleak. There was no joy to come from isolating oneself from the prospect of love, but as a strategic decision in this new world of darkness, there was a hint of sense to the logic.

Clarke stared down at the pyre that had once been burning fiercely, finally signalling the start of a truce between the two unlikely groups, joined in the fire of murderer and murdered.

Her chest still burnt with anguish at Finn's death but as Lexa had commented, the dead were gone and the living were hungry, her people still needed her more than ever. She drew in a deep and shaky breath, trying to order her scrambled thoughts to focus on what was still to come, not on what had already passed.

There was no telling how long she had been staring into the weakly burning remnants of the pyre, the rising smoke stinging her eyes which began to water from the exposure.

Finn had faced the consequences of his actions. He wouldn't be the last to make a mistake, and he certainly hadn't been the first. One day, they would all have to make amends for the atrocities that had been committed.

An unexpected touch on her shoulder snapped her back to reality, immediately shying away from the contact that shook her from the trance.

It was her mother. An expression of concern adorning her face after all that her daughter had been faced with over the past few days.

'Clarke? I'm sorry to disturb you but the Commander is waiting in the dining hall for the last of us to gather. If you're not feeling up to it-'

'No, I'm fine,' Clarke interjected, gathering her composure and wiping at her watering eyes. She couldn't mourn forever, there were still people who needed her leadership and her strength, there was no room for sadness and guilt, not anymore.

Abby begin to object, but at her side Kane placed a warning hand on her arm, the woman lapsing into silence as she recognised the determination that her daughter held.

As a group, the last of the Skaikru members traipsed down into the dining hall, a winding set of concrete stairs leading down into the dimly lit area to where the Grounder's waited, a multitude of candles bringing to light what the weak daylight failed to illuminate.

If this was how peace was to be asserted then she could do this, she could be strong for her people.

Disastrous was one word that could describe the events that had followed the brief meeting of peace - peace that had quickly descended into chaos as accusations had been thrown and tempers had flared. Raven had received the worst of the fallout, but with some quick thinking, it had been revealed that it was Gustus who had been behind the poisoned chalice.

It was with a heavy heart that Clarke had watched the Commander plunge her sword into the chest of her closest advisor, recognising the sacrifice that was being made so as not to appear weak before her people, to defend the coalition.

Clarke had been there herself not so long ago.

The Commander's gaze had fallen to the blonde as she lowered the blade that was coated in blood, and Clarke knew exactly how she felt. The necessity to do what was right by her people could never truly overpower the pain that accompanied such responsibility but yet there was little choice regarding what had to be done.

In that moment, it was impossible not to see the connection that lay between them, the Princess from the Sky and the Commander from Earth, their lives entwined unexpectedly by the shared responsibility to their people, but such responsibility was a heavy burden to carry alone.

The execution had taken place many hours earlier, but it still weighed on Clarke's mind as she stared out into the darkness of the forest. Finns hallucination stared back at her, a questioning look in his eye as if he knew what were about to happen.

A face that she had once loved, but had more recently become a stranger to her.

'Love Is Weakness,' she uttered, her voice strong and firm as she made herself believe the words that she spoke.

Finally, she was free from her guilt, her regret, though the pain would always be with her, it would not break her. She wouldn't let it.

The hallucination faded and Clarke was left with a sense of relief, this was how her people would survive, how she would survive, in strength they would prosper.

Soft footsteps sounded from behind her and so Clarke turned slowly, her expression neutral as her mother approached.

'Clarke this is for you. Finn's ashes from the pyre. I thought you could scatter them somewhere, might help you say goodbye.'

Her daughter barely glanced at the offered gift, no longer tormented by the unbearable pain that Finn's death had bestowed upon her. She had loved Finn, mourned for his death, dealt with the aftermath, and now she had to move on.

'I've already said goodbye.'

A frown began to form on the woman's face, but she was at a loss for words. witnessing a new side to her daughter that sharply contrasted with the broken girl from yesterday.

Clarke did not wait around to hear her mothers concerns, and instead brushed past the brunette to where she had seen the Commander arrive promptly in time for the meeting that was scheduled to take place.

Abby turned to watch the girl go, struck by just how much she had grown up since her time on the Ark, how much she had been forced to deal with. More than any girl ought to.

The two leaders didn't exchange a single word as the blonde neared, a single nod shared between them the only signal that was required. They both understood the nature of their roles, and the duty to their people was not yet over.

One of the guards opened the bunker door and the Commander took the lead to enter with Clarke close behind. A truce may have formed between their people but their work was only just beginning.

****Thanks for reading, I skipped over a lot of the events that took place so as to focus on the moments between Clarke and Lexa, more to come soon! :)****

****Apologies for the short chapter but just wanted to say thank you for all the comments that I received, I appreciate the feedback!****


	3. Stronger Together

.

The bunker was empty as the two leaders descended into its depths, the first ones to have arrived for the scheduled meeting. Lexa dismissed her guards with a brief wave of her hand, instructing them to wait outside, they weren't needed here.

A beam of light cascaded in through the broken ceiling panels - the rest of the interior brought to life by the flickering of carefully placed candles. It was an almost eerie setting, one of shifting shadows and contrasting gradients that brought a sense of intrigue to the now abandoned location, a mere husk of its once pristine grandeur.

'I understand that you-'

'Don't. I've made peace with Finn's death, there's no more to say.'

Clarke was beyond listening to more condolences regarding recent events, there were more important matters at hand than her own private mourning, there were lives to be saved.

'Good. Then let's discuss your plan, dare I call it one.'

Bellamy's mission into the mountain to disable defences had been received sceptically at best, with very few accepting that it was the correct tactic for taking down the mountain men. Many would rather go into a head on war, if only to feel as if they were making progress in the conflict, but Clarke was very aware of just how terrible that idea would be.

'It will work, trust me.'

Lexa didn't have to say anything for the other women to sense her reluctance in agreeing to the statement, they would be putting a lot of faith in one man to deliver results.

'It's not just me that you need to convince, it's everyone else.'

The carefully detailed table adorned with a strategic map of the war effort lay between the two women. Figures marked enemy positions as well as alliance posts. It would soon be the central focus in the discussions with other members of the Grounder forces who would be shaping the war effort.

'It sounds like their leader needs a little more convincing herself,' Clarke pointed out, bracing her arms against the table as she looked down over the carefully crafted pieces, as if a chess game were taking place on the surface. Glancing up through her lashes in the brief silence, she caught the Commander's smooth movement - slowly circling the table towards her.

'The alliance may be in place Clarke, but we are speaking of the fates of both of our people. What we decide today will have reverberations for days and years to come.'

Lexa's slow stride stopped as she reached the blonde's side of the table, one hand trailing along its length as she too observed the precise placement of the numerous pieces. Her expression was focused, pensive, but also at ease, so as to be sincere with the next words that she spoke.

'If this idea of yours has solid basis and is able to stand up to the interrogation to come, then you have our support, but I will not risk the lives of my people on a stroke of a luck, not if there are better options.'

Clarke nodded slowly, understanding the position that they were both in. She had full belief that Bellamy could pull this off, but the Commander's people were not quite as easy to come around, they would take a lot of persuading.

'It's a good thing I'm stubborn then isn't it,' she murmured, half to herself, almost missing the brief quirk of the brunette's lips that disappeared an instant later, leaving her to wonder if she had imagined it.

'Indeed.'

'I'll convince them,' Clarke continued, as if saying it out loud might somehow bring it to pass. 'Must I convince you to?'

If she could win Lexa around then half the battle was won, if not, then it did not matter if the entire Grounder army backed the plan, it was the Commander's decision in the end.

The brunette had been focusing on the schematic diagrams laid out on the table, memorising every detail and strategic point of attack, but looked up when the question was asked, her intelligent eyes adorned with war paint so close to Clarke's that she could see the darker specks of green that were scattered within their depths.

'I won't lie to you Clarke, this plan of yours is risky at best, and you do have a tendency to make claims that can't be upheld.'

There was a hint of warning in her tone as she remarked on the recent claim that Skaikru were able to return Reapers back to their original state, one that had almost fallen apart from the very beginning.

'We were able to bring Lincoln back,' Clarke reminded firmly, but was very aware that it was only due to her mother's quick thinking that it had been possible.

'A stroke of good fortune,' the Commander rebuked, not allowing for any excuses. 'Do not presume to lie to me again.'

It took all of Clarke's willpower not to grit her teeth in annoyance, having hoped that the incident was far behind them now that the alliance was in place. Had she not proven herself enough yet?

She could have argued on until the sun set but it would be futile, this was not an invitation to start an argument, merely a private implication that no further half-truths would be tolerated from Skaikru. Either they could pull this mission off or they couldn't, honesty was key if the war was too be won, many lives depended on it.

A cacophony of footsteps echoed into the bunker as the guard paced inside, announcing that the warriors had arrived to attend the meeting, requesting approval for their entry.

The blonde almost jumped at the sudden intrusion, stopping midsentence and suddenly very aware of how close she was to the Commander as her attention was drawn away from their heated discussion.

Clarke abandoned the map and swiftly retreated a few steps, simultaneously preparing herself for the meeting whilst regaining her composure. In mere minutes the Grounder's would be trying to shatter her strategy and wage a war to the death, she had to be focused.

Lexa retrieved the map and rolled it up neatly with the other documents, ready to be accessed when the moment presented itself, not noticing or not deeming to say anything regarding the blonde's behaviour.

'Ready?'

A deep breath brought the blonde to her senses and she fell into a state of focused calm with which she intended to infect the people around her, preventing any heightened emotions to take precedence and hopefully bring the discussions to a swift end.

She nodded once, prepared for the onslaught of questions about to be thrown her way. She knew that this was the right approach and she wasn't about to back down.

Predictably, the arguments against her plan had been numerous and well supported, with the Grounders willing to wage war with their army rather than wait for Bellamy to succeed in shutting down the mountain.

Quint had been especially opposed to the idea, and had even go so far as to refuse to take part in the alliance, unable to reach any compromise with Skaikru. Events had taken a turn for the worse when the Commander had agreed with the fiery man, bringing a finality to Clarke's proposed idea, opting instead to concoct a different approach to take down the Mountain.

It was far from the result that the blonde had been hoping for and she was silently cursing Quint for his inability to adapt to the proposed idea as she took a calming walk not far from Tondc, right at the moment when she noticed him lurking in the cover of trees below, his hard gaze following her movements.

'Not so brave now are you, Skygirl?'

Clarke kept a wary eye on the man, willing him to move on and not engage in war of words. Quite the opposite in fact and she jolted when he sent an arrow thudding into the tree trunk not a metre from where she stood, a warning that she was not going to ignore.

Her feet pounded against the leaf littered ground as she fled the almost certain death that awaited if Quint found a clear shot. Arrows continued to whistle behind her but they were soon lost to the uneven terrain as she half skidded down a slope to follow the natural path back out to higher ground.

She wasn't running for much longer when her lungs began to burst from the effort of her escape, slowing for a moment to rest her hands on aching legs, sucking in deep breaths in preparation to meet the startling pace that would be required to evade Quint's carefully targeted arrows if he caught up with her.

A blur of black from the corner of her eye caught her attention and she spun, with gun raised, her panicked breaths easing into a relieved sigh when she recognised the uniform of her guard.

'Byrne, thank god! Quint-'

Her relief soon vanished when the woman stumbled backwards, turning on unsteady legs to reveal the bloody stump that had once been her left arm.

Clarke herself took a reflexive step back on shaking legs, taking in the pale, drawn face - wide eyes that were nothing but vacant, unseeing as the pain and shock from the attack overcame her body.

'Save yourself.'

The three syllables were uttered as her body began to fail, knees buckling to send her tumbling down the slope, her body jerking wildly at the impact only to fall still near Clarke's feet, life abandoning the mortally wounded woman.

Time seemed to stop for a moment as Clarke stared down at her guard, caught between the knowledge that there was nothing that she could do for the woman and the realisation that Quint was responsible for the brutal attack. She had to get away from him.

There was no time to mourn for the woman as she resumed her relentless pace through the woods, struggling to avoid the scattering of roots and branches that protruded from the ground, threatening to trip her over and seal her death sentence.

It was as she raced through the undergrowth, her mind a white haze of shock and adrenaline after witnessing the fate of Byrne, that a guttural growl warned of Quint's presence. She was still caught in her forward momentum as the man lunged out from behind a tree, tackling her to the ground with his overwhelming strength.

One of his hands, as strong as a vice, closed around her neck, constricting her airway as she struggled beneath him in a jerking motion, kicking her legs desperately in an attempt to knock him off balance as he reached for the knife at his waist.

She choked silently against his grasp, her efforts weakening as he lifted the blade above his head, a snarl forming on his lips at the victory that he was about to claim. This would call an end to the alliance and war could reign once more. Just as it should be.

The Commander watched events as if in slow motion as she and her two guards arrived on the scene, acting with deadly precision as she sighted the unfortunate warrior and unleashed her own, more ornately designed dagger with a surge of strength that drove the blade powerfully through the air where it became embedded in the man's raised arm.

He howled pitifully as the blade sliced straight through his flesh, protruding from the other side as he dropped his own knife in the process.

Clarke wasted no time in throwing the man away from her, using the moment of distraction to lever his weight to the side and clamber to her feet, raising her gun as if he might leap up to attack her again.

The Commander strode forwards to where her warrior lay writhing on the ground. She retrieved the dagger in one swift movement, forcing a howl of pain from the man's lips whilst he gripped the injured arm.

'Jomp em op en yu jomp ai op.'

The translation was lost on Clarke who had little knowledge of the Trigedasleng language, but she did notice Quint's eyes widening as he looked up at the Commander, briefly distracted from the pain as his leader stared down at him mercilessly.

'Thank you,' the blonde uttered sincerely, feeling that it was appropriate to communicate how much she appreciated the save from near death.

Quint's fate was already sealed even as the blonde continued to explain how he had attacked her guard who lay dead not a few hundred metres away.

'She lies!' Quint objected, staring up bitterly at the Commander. 'My fight is only with her!'

It was only recently that Gustus had uttered the same words, and Lexa would not tolerate any more dishonesty from her people. Regardless of who had killed the guard, he would have to pay for his attack on Clarke, on Skaikru and the alliance.

'Yu Gonplei ste odon,' the Commander declared sharply, not willing to listen to another word from the traitor. He knew better than to defy orders.

She glanced sideways to where the blonde remained in her tense stance, her body still alive with adrenaline that coursed through her veins.

'The kill is yours Clarke.'

She sheathed her dagger simultaneously, her words drawing a startled glance from the blonde who had been watching the warrior for any unexpected movements.

Clarke was no stranger to death. She had killed, almost been killed, and witnessed more deaths then she would care to remember. This felt different however, this would be murder.

There was no denying that Quint deserved to face the consequences of what he had done, but she was not sure that killing him in cold blood would be the answer.

Her hand twitched around the gun that she gripped so tightly, images of Byrnes disfigured body flashing to the forefront of her mind . Quint would not stop interfering in their affairs, nor would the Commander let him live after this betrayal, though she had to question whether she was capable of such a thing.

Quint drew himself to his feet, staring back with a hesitant gaze as if wondering the same thing. The world seemed to hold its breath as all eyes watched the woman, waiting to see what she would do.

A distorted howl sounded in the distance, drawing all attention towards the origin as Quint was momentarily forgotten.

'What is that?' Clarke breathed, never having heard such a thing like it. Fear was now alight on Quint's face, something that had not even been present at the prospect of imminent death at her hand. This was something dangerous, something terrible.

'Pauna.'

With hardly a moments hesitation, Lexa freed her sword and swung it forward in a low slash across Quint's leg, leaving him as bait for whatever monstrosity was closing in on their location.

'Run!'

No further motivation was needed as the group set off at a fast pace away from the howling man, searching desperately for a place to take cover. Quint was left to face the monstrous beast in an attempt to increase their chances of survival, his own cries soon dying away as his death sentence was served.

The Pauna had been nothing short of a nightmare. After finding themselves in her feeding ground, the two leaders had little choice but to find cover in a pit below, leaping down from the railings in hope of escaping the animals deadly attacks.

Lexa had been hurt during the fall but it was only after they had struggled into an enclosure and barred the door that there was any time to assess the injury. Her face was contorted in pain as the blonde unsheathed the sword and used it to seal the door, hoping against all odds that it would be strong enough to keep the beast out.

After a few tense minutes of silence, broken only by the panting breaths of the two exhausted women, there was no movement from outside and it could only be assumed that the Pauna had lost track of them, at least for the time being.

'Are you okay?'

'I'm fine.'

The Commander virtually growled the words, gripping her left arm carefully, gritting her teeth against the waves of pain that were not showing any sign of subsiding. Her ankle was aching from the harsh impact after leaping down into the pit, but it was not broken, no serious damage had been done.

'Clearly,' Clarke huffed, quickly checking herself over for any injuries, but only found a slight ache in her leg, fortunate that she had not suffered more damage. 'You'll need to keep that arm in a sling.'

She insisted that the Commander stand, tearing a piece of material so that she could tend to the injury.

'You should've left me behind, now two will die here instead of one.'

Clarke fought the urge to roll her eyes as the Commander continued to insist that she should have gone on alone. It had not been an option.

'You saved me from Quint and now I'm returning the favour. Your customs may be new to me but when someone saves your life, my people say thank you.'

She finished tightening the make-shift sling and moved away from the dark haired woman, a note of irritation in her voice regarding how complex the Commander made every situation appear.

'I'm serious Clarke, to lead well you must make hard choices.'

The Skaikru leader pushed her weight against the steel bars of the cage, testing their resistance but found them to be unmovable. They would have to find an alternate means of escape.

'You're telling_ me_ that?' she exclaimed incredulously, spinning on her heel, brows raised in defiance of the statement. Finn was dead by her hand, hundred of Grounder's had been killed through her own actions, all she had done since landing on the ground was make the hard decisions. She would bear such things so her people did not have to.

'I've seen you're strength, it's true but now you waver. You couldn't kill Quint, you couldn't leave me to die. That was weakness.'

There was an intensity to the Commanders gaze, conveying how important this matter was.

'I thought love was weakness.'

Clarke's tone held a hint of sarcasm in response, tired of the constant lectures and doubts regarding her strength. She turned away from the Commander, not wanting to focus on such things and instead to escape this awful place.

'Mockery is not the product of a strong mind Clarke.'

There was a slight pause following the statement, as no response came from the defensive blonde. She was observing the steel bars again, as if the answer to their escape might be held there when in fact she was grasping for the correct response.

'If this is because of what happened-'

'_That_ has nothing to do with this,' Clarke interrupted, not feeling that this was the time nor place to discuss the kiss that had taken place a few days earlier. 'You want to know why I saved you? Because I need you. God forbid one of your generals becomes Commander. You may be heartless, Lexa but at least you're smart.'

An almost indistinguishable smile formed on the Commander's lips as she wondered if the feisty blonde even realised that she had just inadvertently complimented her. Lexa was more than aware that her Generals would make many poor decisions in her place, they were fond of questioning her every order as it was, and she would not allow them to rise to a higher position of power if she were to die here.

Trying to explain the subject of her spirit finding the next Commander did not seem to help the situation and her efforts were cut short when the Pauna began to pound on the cage, jolting the two woman into action.

The door began to quake under the force of the attack, and it was clear that the sword would not be able to withhold the sheer strength of the beast for much longer.

Both woman retreated until their backs were pressed against the cage bars, as far from the weakening door as possible, the sword already buckling from the impact. For just a moment, Clarke wondered if this were how it were to all end - side by side with the leader of the people that wanted hers dead. Both parties would be thrown into turmoil if they were to die at that moment, and it was a fear of what would happen in their absence that filled the blonde like a tidal wave.

'Don't be afraid Clarke, death is not the end.'

Lexa stated the words confidently, having recognised the emotion present on the blondes face, understanding that this could be their final moments, not that they would go easily.

'We are not dying here! I need your spirit to stay where it is!'

'Then get ready to fight. It's coming in.'

Those words sparked an idea in Clarke, one that might be dangerous and risky, but the only one that presented itself all the same.

'Unless we let it. Come here!'

She guided them over to the side of the door, with Lexa clutching her dagger in one hand, the other still bound by the sling. They would not be able to fight this animal, even together.

Clarke hurriedly pulled the bent sword free before she could doubt herself, wincing back when the roaring Pauna was sent bowling into the small cage, thrown forwards by its own momentum to fall over its own limbs, skidding along the ground with a startled roar.

'Go!' the blonde cried, shoving the Commander ahead of her, following close behind and sealing the door shut once they were both free. A weighty crash sounded from the other side of the metal as the Pauna threw itself furiously after its victims, but luck was with them and the door held.

The two woman shared a long glance as it dawned on them just how close to death they had come. It had certainly been a close call.

'Let's go.'

Clarke didn't need to be told twice and hooked a steadying arm around Lexa's waist, bearing some of her weight as the woman continued to limp unsteadily from the pain in her ankle. They moved quickly away from the enclosure, the furious howls echoing in their ears as they ventured deeper into the woods, attempting to cover as much ground as possible before night fell.

They went as far as they dared, the pain coursing through Lexa's body becoming more unbearable as their unsteady pace continued. She wasn't the only one tiring, Clarke was breathing heavily, the extra effort of supporting the brunette beginning to show as they both struggled on.

'We should stop here for the night,' Lexa said breathlessly, her arm tightening around the blonde's shoulder as the loose earth dipped away below them, leading into a clearing of lower ground which provided a suitable spot to set up a small camp.

Clarke did not object, more than happy to accommodate as her limbs grew weary from the effort of continuing on. The darkness was beginning to creep in and made it difficult to navigate the uneven terrain that slowed their progress further.

A lone tree stump provided the appropriate structure for Lexa to lean against, wincing as she settled back against the wood, both her arm and ankle burning painfully as she tried to find a more comfortable position.

It took only a short time for the blonde to start a fire going, her clumsy movements driven by tiredness but finally the first spark was ignited and the flames grew from there.

She slumped down onto the ground, a tired sigh escaping her lips as she stared sightlessly into the fire. It had been a long day to say the least, both physically and mentally exhausting.

'You should sleep Clarke, we will need all of our strength to finish our journey tomorrow.'

There was no mistaking the exhaustion in the blonde's face as she rubbed her eyes tiredly, finally relenting and lying down on the bare ground, already fighting to keep her eyes open as her body was finally able to relax after the eventful day.

'You need to get some sleep as well,' Clarke advised, pausing as a yawn broke through the words. 'Wake me up in a few hours and I'll take over the watch.'

Lexa nodded silently, watching as the blonde fell into unconscious oblivion within moments, even the uncomfortable ground beneath her presenting no problem as sleep overwhelmed her.

There was no chance of the Commander sleeping that night and she had no intention of waking Clarke in a few hours, the blonde clearly requiring the rest more than she did. Lexa was well trained in the art of remaining focused and resilient with only minimal sleep and the pain radiating in her limbs would prevent her from sleeping peacefully regardless of her intention.

Besides, it was necessary for someone to be on guard for the dangers of the forest that lurked in the darkness, poised for attack the moment a weary traveller let down their guard. Lexa settled her hand on the dagger at her waist, comforted by its weight at her hip, and cast her eyes out into the flickering gloom of the forest, the fire providing a circle of protection from the creatures of the night.

With the guards having been obliterated by the powerful Pauna, it left just the two of them to survive the forest alone, with the many creatures that lurked within its depths. Lexa was no stranger to the beasts that dwelt within the high reaching trees, aware that the more nocturnal of carnivores would now be prowling their territory in search of easy pray, and the Commander would not allow them to fall victim to their hunts.

The blonde slept on obliviously, her soft breaths rising and falling steadily as Lexa listened to every whisper of the breeze, every breaking twig or rustling of leaves that might indicate an approaching predator. They would not be caught unprepared.

Her gaze fell to the fire, her senses still on high alert as she allowed her mind to wander, the time passing by without notice until finally the first specks of dawn began to spread its welcome light through the sky, battling the darkness back to the very edges of existence until the sun had risen in its entire glory.

The fire continued to rage, the flames beginning to lessen in intensity as its life drew on, no longer required now that sunlight had begun to filter down through the canopy of leaves, casting a shifting pattern of shadows on the ground below.

With the arrival of dawn, a roar split through the deceivingly peaceful setting of the forest, jolting Lexa from her state of calm as she grasped her dagger reflexively, a long moment passing before reassuring herself that the beast was still securely locked within the enclosure where it could not bring them further harm.

She glanced down at the blonde woman who remained in a deep slumber, her face tilted down towards the ground as her arm provided a more comfortable head rest than the moss covered rocks. Even the distinctive sound had not disturbed the woman and Lexa settled back against the wooden stump once more, taking the moment of peace to stretch her limbs, testing each for the return of the spiking pain that she had experienced the previous day, pleased to find that it was far less noticeable and felt more confident about the return journey to come.

Her gaze returned to the blonde and she considered waking her to continue their path on to Tondc, but found herself reluctant to do so, recognising that this rest was much needed after the previous day's adventures.

Their people would be concerned as to their fate, but another hour in the forest would make little difference.

As it turned out, she had little choice in the matter when a second roar echoed through the forest, this one even more booming and animalistic than the last.

Clarke was jarred from her peaceful slumber and her eyes flew open in a mild panic. With the haze of sleep still clouding her thoughts, her mind was invaded with memories of the Pauna from the previous day, the furious glare of its eyes as it had torn their guard apart, the pure strength with which it had leapt after them, nothing but death and destruction to follow in its path.

For a moment she forgot where she was, her eyes scanning the sea of green that was laid out before her, heart filled with fear from the Pauna that was undoubtedly hunting her, not resting until she shared the same fate as those who had already perished to its unforgiving strength.

'It's okay,' a gentle voice spoke, originating from behind the blonde. 'You're safe.'

Clarke rotated her torso and was relieved to see the Commander sitting barely a metre away, alert for any danger that might make itself known and felt her fear begin to dissipate, the memories of the pauna fading from her waking mind.

She swallowed back the now retreating panic and turned her focus to the brunette instead, inclining her head to the injured arm that remained supported by the sling.

'How's your arm?'

'Hurts.'

Clarke turned away as another roar ripped through the air, accompanied by the harsh crash as the beast continued to throw itself against the door that was all that stood in the way of its freedom.

'We should go,' she insisted, uneasy about just how long they had before the Pauna was free once more. 'That cage won't hold forever.'

She pushed up onto her feet, dusting off the dirt that lingered on her jacket.

'Wait,' Lexa interjected, using her one good arm to rise to stand opposite the blonde, her expression unguarded in this rare occasion as she stepped down from the higher ground to meet the woman's curious gaze. 'I did a lot of thinking through the night.'

'About what?'

'About you.'

A brief lapse of silence followed as Clarke wondered where this was going, unsure of what to say in response.

'I was wrong about you Clarke,' the Commander finally continued, 'you're heart shows no sign of weakness.'

They had been through a lot together and there were many similarities between them. Lexa had been wrong to judge the woman's weakness so quickly and she had been proven wrong on many occasions. There was a fire that dwelt in her heart, one that fuelled her strength and the Commander recognised the same passion that drove her.

It meant a lot for the blonde to hear the words, having been continuously questioned and doubted over her strength. This made her actions worthwhile, to know that her attempts weren't in vain.

'And what of us?' Clarke said in return, finally voicing one of her many questions regarding where they now stood after their recent encounter in the Commanders tent.

'We hold great strength Clarke and we will not submit to any weakness, but this is not one.'

Clarke had made her peace with Finn, and had found herself falling into Lexa's state of mind regarding her inner strength. There was no other way if she were to lead her people and do right by them.

'Then what would you call it?'

Lexa remained unfazed by the questions, secure in her realisation that weakness did not have to result from this arrangement.

'It is what it is. Unless you have any objections?'

Clarke shook her head, relieved that the matter had finally been addressed as it had been on her mind ever since they had shared a passionate kiss in the tent, though that had been before Finn's death, a lot had changed since then.

'Then it is settled. We should return to Tondc before your people start accusing me of kidnapping.'

It was hardly a joke, in reality a very viable possibility and it was for the best that they returned as soon as possible.

Yet another roar sounded in the distance and Clarke arched her face towards the sound, a shudder passing through her body at the thought of the cage breaking and releasing the beast back into the wilderness. She paused, an idea blossoming at the thought.

'The cage won't hold...I think I know how to take Mount Weather. We've been trying to get inside but they've already let us in.'

'What do you mean?'

The realisation was lost to Lexa whose brow was creased in confusion.

'Your army is already there, locked in cages. We just need someone on the inside to let them out.'

'Bellamy? You have faith in him.'

It was obvious that Clarke had no doubts of his future success, it was a matter of convincing the Commander to believe as she did.

'I do.'

'I hope your faith is well placed. Because if he can't get inside we can't win.'

'He will. Lexa, this is gonna work come on.'

It was a fragile situation to say the least. Lexa had to trust in the blonde's faith that Bellamy would get into the mountain and complete the mission. If even one of these links was broken then the whole plan would crumble. It was vital that there was an element of trust between all parties, and Clarke could only hope that she had earnt it.

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**More updates to come!**


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